Ironing machine



June 12, 1,928.

H. D. ELSE IR NING MACHINE Filed Feb. 1, 1

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY D. ELSE, OF: WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC &-MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

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Application filed February 1, 1924. Serial No. 689,883.

My invention relates to temperature governing means, and it has special relation to temperature governing means for the heated ironing members of ironing machines.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved temperature-governing means wherein the thermostatic action of the expansion and contraction of the heated, governed member with respect to a cold member operates a movable element to regulate the action of a heating medium upon the heated member. I

Another object of my invention is to provide temperature-governing means of the indic-ated character with a device manipulatable by an operator to predetermine the temerature at which the heated member shall e maintained.

A further object of my invention is to provide temperature-governing means of the indicated character wherein there is a resilient connection between the movable governg element and the heating-medium-control element. 7

A still further object of my invention is to provide a device havin the aforesaid objects and advantages and ingalso especially simple in construction and easy to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of an ironing machine embodying my inven- 35. tion;

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view through the control valve, showing the thermostatic connections thereto, and

Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of the valve o actuating spring shown in Fig. 2.

An embodiment of the invention comprises a frame 1, a roll 2 supported for rotation thereon and a heated. ironing shoe 3. The res ective ends of the shoe 3 are provided wit downwardly projecting arms 4 and 4" having trunnions 5 which support the shoe for pivotal movement toward and away from the roll.

A tubular rod 6 is secured to arm 4 and extends longitudinally of the shoe and through an opening in the arm 4. The end of t 9 rod 6 that projects beyond the arm 4 is screwed into a control valve casing .7 and its end is closed by a screw plug 8.

An inlet pipe 10, to which a flexible tube 13 is secured, is screwed into the casing 7 and a. flexible discharge pipe 11 is connected to the detachable top 12 of the casing and communicates with a suitable burner 28 in'the shoe 3, the connections not being shown in detail. However, the pipe 11 should be flexible, or, the connections to the burner should be such that the lateral movements of the shoe responsive to variations in tempera- 'tur'e thereof (more fully hereinafter explained) will not distort such connections to cause a gas leak or cause the connections between the shoe 3 and the valve casing 7 to bind or distort.

The casing 7 is provided with a partition 14 in which an externally screw threaded sleeve 15 is adjustably mounted. A tube 16 is slidable in the sleeve 15 and is provided with ducts 17 communicating with the bore of -the tube which is closed at the upper end by a plug 18.

A leaf spring 20, to which the upper end of the plug 18 is secured, extends laterally into a kerf in a plunger 21 which has a sliding fit in an opening in the casing 7 and engages a projection 22 on the end of the shoe 3. The other end of the spring 20 is secured 'to a conical retainer 23, the point of which is received in a recess in a plug 24 that is screwed into the wall of the casing 7. A handle 25 is secured to the plug 24 and has a pointer 26 adjacent to graduations of a scale 27.

In the operation of the device, a valve, not shown, is opened by the operator to admit fuel through pipe 10, casing-7, tube 16, ducts l7 and discharge pipe 11 to a burner 28. When the temperature of the shoe rises, it expands longitudinally and movement of its end occurs with respect to the cold pipe 6, the pivotal support of the shoe permitting free expansion. If the temperature of the shoe rises beyond a certain point, the expansion operates, through movement of the plunger 21 actuated bythe projection 22, to-

bend spring 20 and thus to move tube 16 downwardly to gradually reduce the amount of fuel flowing through the ducts 17 and finally to cut it off entirely. If the ducts are entirely cut off, the burner will nevertheless remain lighted because of the looseness of fit of tube 16 in sleeve 15. By reason of the movement of tube 16, the flow of fuel is restricted, the heating effect of the burner is lessened and the temperature of the shoe is lowered. If the temperature falls below a certain point, the resultant contraction of the shoe permits movement of plunger 21, under the impulse of spring 20, to raise tube 16 and thus increase the supply of fuel. This results again in raising the temperature of the shoe. A condition of equilibrium is reached by the device to maintain the shoe at a substantially constant temperature. If the shoe 3 is subjected to a cooling action, as when damp material is being ironed, the device is operative, immediately upon a contraction of the shoe, to increase the flow of fuel and raise the temperature of the shoe 3.

If it is desired to ensure maintenance of the shoe 3 at a different predetermined temperature, the handle 25 is moved to operate the plug 2 1 and thus vary the curvature of spring 20, the retainer 23 permitting free rotation of the plug 24, and the slot 29 in the spring permitting free adjustment thereof. When the flexure of spring 20 is increased by turning the plug 24; a lesser expansion of the shoe is operative to restrict the flow of fuel, as tube 16 is maintained in a low position when the spring 20 is maintained in a condition of greater flexure. In order that the spring 20 may not straighten and thereby reach a deadcenter position, the spring is provided with an initial or normal bend.

It will be noted that the elements 20 and 21 multiply the movements of the ironing shoe or member responsive to temperature variations in acting upon the tube 16, and that the elements are directly acted upon by, and connected to the ironing shoe or member and the tube 16, respectively.

When the handle 25 is in one position, the shoe 3 is maintained by the thermostat at one temperature and when the handle is in another position the shoe 3 is maintained at another temperature. A conveniently operated means for setting the thermostat is thus provided.

The scale 27 need not indicate degrees of temperature in the centigrade or fahrenheit systems. It sufiices that the operator may know that, at a certain position of pointer 26 with respect to the scale, a temperature proper for the ironing of material of a particular type or condition is provided and that, at another position of the pointer, another temperature proper for the ironing of material of another type or condition is provided.

If desired, the plug 8 may be removed from cold pipe 6 to permit introduction of fluid through this pipe instead of through pipe 10. The fluid, thus introduced serves to maintain the pipe at a substantially umform and relatively low temperature and thus ensures accuracy of operation of the thermostat.

The invention is not limited to the specitic embodiment illustrated and described but is capable of extensive modification and variation. A substantial range of equivalents is contemplated within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a member adapted to be heated and capable of changes in size upon variations in temperature, means for controlling the heatin of said member, a stop spaced from said eated member and a resilient member interposed between the stop and heated member, said resilient member being disposed to efifect operation of said heat controlling means.

2. In combination, a member subject to changes in size with variations in temperature, a resilient member disposed to be flexed as said member changes in size, and means for controlling the heating of said member, said controlling means being disposed for operation by the resilient member, and a stop forone end of the resilient member, said stop being adjustable to permit the control of the movement of the resilient member.

3. In combination, a member adapted to be heated and capable of changes in size upon variations in temperature, means for controlling the heating of said member, a stop spaced from the heated member, a bent leaf spring interposed between the stop and heated member, said spring being disposed to eilect the operation of said heat controlling means.

4. The combination of a member adapted to be heated, a burner for said member, a device for feeding fuel thereto, a valve for regulating the flow of fuel through said de vice, a spring secured intermediately of its length to sa1d valve and having one end maintained in a predetermined position, a plunger engaglng, at its one extremity, the other end of said spring and, at its other extremity, one end of said heated member and movable on the expansion of said mem ber to bend said sprin to move said valve to regulate the flow 0 fuel.

5. The combination with a heated member and means for heating said member, of a cold member associated with said heated said spring including an element responsive spring extend through the walls of the to the expansion of the heated member for casing. impressing a force on one end of the spring In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 10 and an adjustable element for impressing subscribed my name this 28th day of J anu- 5 a force on the other end 01' the spring. ary, 1924.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5,

in which the elements acting upon the HARRY D. ELSE. 

